Style....or lack of it.

Took up snowboarding last Christmas in La Plagne, did a 2 hour lesson on my first day and gave up after an hour. After sulking and hurting myself that afternoon I had a few beers with my (black run specialist) mates who advised me to percivere with lessons. I took this valuable advice in, processed it and made a concious decision to ignore it the next day. I mad up my mind to teach myself, even if it killed me. I don't take instruction well.

After 3 and a half days of trudging 10 m further up a nursery slope each time, I got it, well I got something anyway. I found I was completely confident on my toe edge, so getting down a beginner run top to bottom was possible by using the width of the piste and going back across fakie, this was effective albeit highly inelegant. It took me a day longer to become as confident on my heels, but it came and I found myself riding fakie on both edges.

Since then I have done 2 more snowboarding holidays and am hooked. I still ride in either direction 50/50 and have no problem putting the board thro 180°, and on a lesser slope 360° at quite some speed. It feels confortable, and even though I spent 2 days on my last trip teaching myself how to link turns properly, I simple prefer riding like this. Basically pointing my board forward on either foot, going hell for leather and throwing it through a 180° or 360° turn to take the speed out when I reach my speed limit. If I need to avoid something or someone quickly I simple put it through 45° or 135°, miss the obstruction, flip it back straight through the remaining angle to the other end of my board and carry on.

My last holiday was "Snowbombing" in Mayerhofen, and I was up there riding the full week like this. Mainly reds, I actually did a black by accident on the second day at 8.45 in the morning, back of the mountain, it was sheet ice as it had been 24°C the day before. I was to say the least "bricking it", but found my stlye hepled me get down without taking much risk at all.

I was just wondering if my style or lack of it is gonna cause me problems, or anyone travelling behind me for that matter. I feels natural and comfortable and I feel it gives me more freedom and ability to react quicker.

I am going to Val d'Isere in December and want to know if I should go back to basics and learn from an instructor, or carry on with my progresion and develop naturally.

Anyone got any advice?

Although I'm not a snowboarder I did ask my friend (who is) about this.

He informed me that it is akin to learning only how to snow plough.

That is that you'll never really advance onto the more challenging terrain and worst of all you'll never really be able to ride powder.

Find a private teacher, and have a couple of lessons. They'll take the skills you have learned for yourself and provide the key to the rest. Otherwise you are missing out. I did have snowboarding lessons, and did'nt take to it, but could, when I quit, ride both ways, do linked turns, toe edge turns, heel edge turns and garland's. It was stuff to build on. I went back to 2 planks, it felt more natural :D

One of the drawbacks of snowboarding is the initial learning curve is very steep. If your intent is to be a real snowboarder, then you must take the plunge and learn to do it right. From what you have said you have the tenacity and the ability to get through this process.

The rewards of being in full control on the slopes are well worth the effort. If you continue in just getting down, eventually you will get stuck in a rut and find it very boring. Sports like this are for the longterm. So take the time to set your self up for a lifetime progression. There are more years ahead than you think and in a few years time you will wonder at your abilities on a snowboard, but at the same time appreciate that there are always new skills to master.

Take Bandit's advise and take a private lesson. Listen to the feedback and go from there.

The most worth while sports have long apprenticeships. If you persist though, there will be days when you will just rip and those are the days we live for.





Trencher

Trencher

could you not have got your insie knee any closer to the snow :?:

could you not have got your inside knee any closer to the snow

I though that. Does the rear boot lift off the binding like they do with telemark binding? Severe boot flex if not!

That's gotta be way harder than carving on skis. What happens if you lose your balance a little? You can't exactly transfer your weight to the other ski or anything.

The knee can get closer




But, in answer to the boot flex question, most of the boot angle is achieved with an angled plate for heel lift (not everyone uses it). Alpine snowboard boots look like ski boots. They are stiff laterally, but do flex forward. The lift plate and boot flex can be seen below. Also note how the boot heel is lifting up, putting a lot of stress on the binding bail (these occasionally break if not checked often for cracks).



The great thing about being low to the snow is that losing the edge means a very small fall.

Trencher

And there is such a thing as a teleboard.

http://www.teleboardusa.com/

I've read about a few nasty crashes, so not something I'm going to try.

Trencher

EDIT : I've since ridden with a good teleboard. It's a great all mountain tool in the right hands. We were carving groomers, finding powder in the trees, and doing bumps. I was impressed.